Overview

The first book-length treatment of Mark Twain’s public persona as depicted in newspaper and magazine illustrations Cartoons and Caricatures of Mark Twain: Reformer and Social Critic, 1869–1910 reproduces for students and scholars of Twain and American literature a provocative series of visual texts that illustrate the growth of Twain’s reputation as a social and political satirist. Myrick and Scharnhorst trace the evolution of Twain’s depiction across more than forty years and seventy illustrations—from portrayals of the famous author as a court jester adorned with cap and bells, to a regally haloed king with a royal train—offering a new perspective on his influence. Although he was among the most photographed figures of the nineteenth century, Myrick and Scharnhorst focus on a medium that Twain, a genius of self-promotion and an expert at brand management, could not control. As a result, Myrick and Scharnhorst have compiled an innovative and incisive type of reception history. This initial volume of Cartoons and Caricatures of Mark Twain emphasizes Twain’s reputation as a political satirist. It illustrates the popular response to many famous and infamous episodes in his career, such as the storm of controversy that surrounded the publication of his anti-imperialist writings at the turn of the twentieth century. Routinely depicted with hair like a fright wig, a beak-like nose, and a cigar in hand, no matter the context or the costume, Twain was not only the greatest writer in American literary history but perhaps the most iconic figure in American popular culture.

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9780817361044

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Reviews

Leslie Diane Myrick and Gary Scharnhorst give us not only a comprehensive catalog of Mark Twain caricatures but also the detailed context that informs the visual language at work in each cartoon. --Larry Howe, author of Mark Twain and Money: Language, Capital, and Culture

"“Leslie Diane Myrick and Gary Scharnhorst give us not only a comprehensive catalog of Mark Twain caricatures but also the detailed context that informs the visual language at work in each cartoon.""—Larry Howe, author of Mark Twain and Money: Language, Capital, and Culture"

"""Leslie Diane Myrick and Gary Scharnhorst give us not only a comprehensive catalog of Mark Twain caricatures but also the detailed context that informs the visual language at work in each cartoon."" --Larry Howe, author of Mark Twain and Money: Language, Capital, and Culture"

Author Information

Leslie Diane Myrick is coeditor of The Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volumes 1–3: The Complete and Authoritative Edition. She was previously associate editor of the Mark Twain Project. Gary Scharnhorst is distinguished professor emeritus of English at the University of New Mexico. He has written 18 monographs, including a three-volume biography of Mark Twain, and edited 34 other books, including Mark Twain: The Complete Interviews. .

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